On December 28, 1944, an exhausted Maurice Richard turned up at the Montreal Forum for the game against the Detroit Red Wings after spending the day moving his family from one apartment to another.

Two minutes after the opening faceoff, Richard beat goaltender Harry Lumley for his first point of the night. Things were just getting started, and by the time the period ended he had added an assist.

Completing his hat trick with a pair of goals just eight seconds apart early in the second period, Richard kept on rolling, adding another goal and assist before 40 minutes had elapsed. When the teams went to their dressing rooms after the second period, the Habs held a 7-1 lead with Richard accounting for four goals and a pair of assists.

Continuing his domination of the Red Wings, Richard potted his fifth goal of the night at the midpoint of the third period, equalling a team record for most points in a game. With 13 seconds to play, Elmer Lach redirected a pass from his stormy right winger into the Detroit net, making the score 9-2 and giving Richard the NHL record for most points in a single game.

When house announcer, Michel Normandin, announced the historic nature of Richard’s achievement, 13,000 fans exploded into one of the loudest and most prolonged ovations the Forum has ever heard.

His eight-point performance is still a team record, one Richard has shared with Bert Olmstead since January 9, 1953. Only Toronto Maple Leaf, Darryl Sittler, who picked up 10 on February 7, 1976, has recorded more points in a single NHL game.